Refrigerator-car construction



Jan. 28, 1930. c. A. RICHARDSON REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 2l, 1927 IN VEN TOR. cnrs TER A ,4P/ HARoso/v.

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Jan. 28, 1930. c. A. RICHARDSON 1,744,839

` RilRlGERA'loR` CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed May 21, 1927 s sheets-sheet 2 CHE TER A. RICHARDSON.

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gawd 9% at ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 28, 1930 CHESTER A. RICHARDSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA EEFRIGERATOIRPCAR CNSTRUCTION Original application led July 1, 1926, SerialNo. 119,856. Divided and this application led May 21, 1927.

Serial No. 193,339.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars, and particularly to a type of car in which air is continuously and mechanically circulated through the ice bunkers and the storage compartment, while the car is in transit, and the present application is a division of my copending application entitled Refrigerator car, filed by me on July 1, 1926, and bearing the Serial. N o. 119,856.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of refrigerator cars; to secure better refrigeration than is now ordinarily obtained; to increase efficiency and economy of refrigeration; to increase loading or storage capacity, and further maintain a uniform and comparatively low temperature in the storage compartment by maintaining a continuous, mechanical circulation of air through the bunkers and storage compartment, while the car is in transit.

Theinvention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section of the refrigerator car.

Fig. 2 is a plane view of the car in section.

Fig. 3 is a cross section, showing one of the bunker bulk-heads, taken on the vline III-III, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar cross section, showing the modified form of the bulk-head.

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section through the bulkhead wall.

Referring to the drawings in det-ail, and particularly Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A. indicates in general a refrigerator car; B the bottom or floor section; D and E, the sides and ends, respectively; and F, the top, or roof section. Disposed at each end of the car are ice bunkers, G, and intermediate the bunkers is a storage compartment, generally indicated at H, in which the fruit, or other perishable commodity to be shipped is packed or stored, as will hereinafter be described.

The main purpose of the present invention lis to insure a uniform and fairly low temperature in the storage compartment by maintaining the air in continuous circulation through the compartment and the ice ythe air will now be described in detail.

By again referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that the roof of the car is provided with covers, 2, and hatch openings, through which the bunkers may be filled. The bottoms of the bunkers are provided with grate bars, 3, to support the ice: andl drain pans, 4, are formed below the grate bars toreceive and discharge the drippings. A bulk-head 5 is interposed between each bunker, and the storage compartment, and air ducts 6 are formed in the bulk-heads to permit circulation of air,las will hereinafter be described.

Heavy galvanized, metal screens are placed between the bulk-heads 5 and the ends of the car, as indicated'at 7 and 8. These screens retain the ice out of Contact with the bulkheads and at the ends of the car; and they furthermore form air passages 9 and 10 which permit circulation of air, both around the ice and in the bunkers, and through the spaces formed between the ice chunks. There are two ducts formed in each bulli-head, as indicated at 6a and 6". The lower ends of these ducts terminate in openings 11 and 12. The upper ends of ducts are connected with manifolds 12, and the manifolds are in turn connested through pipes 13 with the suction sides 14 of air blowers, generally indicated at 15. Each blower is provided with a discharge pipe 16 and the air discharged is directed into the upper part of the storage compartment, as indicated by the arrows. Any suitable type of blower may be employed, and they are in the present instance driven through means of shafts 17 by air rotors 1.8, disposed on the roof of the car. The air rotors may also be constructed in any suitable manner, and as they are exposed to the air, they will be continuously rotated, while the car is in motion, and will also be rotated while the cars are standing, if a wind is blowing. It will be noted that the blowers 15 are disposed on opposite sides of the cars, and the opposite ends. This arrangement is important, as it facilitates circulation. For instance, the air discharging from the blowers strikes the opposite bulk-heads, where a part ofthe air enters the bunkers through the upper openings 19. This portion of the air is drawn downwardly through the passages 9 and l0, and also through the spaces formed between the ice, and as such is returned to the ducts 6 and 6b in the bulk-heads from where it is again discharged by the blowers in the opposite ends of the car. A portion of air is also directed downwardly through central passage 20, formed between the two sections of the load, and this air passes through a passage 21 formed in the floor below the load. Theair entering the passage 21 is directed to the respective bunkers, where it is drawn upwardly through the passages 9 and 10 and the ice, and is thus also returned to the ducts 6 and (iaL and the blowers. Still another portion of the air strikes the bulk-heads and is deflected backwardly, and as such continues to circulate until it settles down through the central passage 2O or enters the openings 19 of one or another of the bunkers. A part 0f the air also settles downwardly through the load, and this air is finally received by the passage 21 to be returned to the bunkers. The passage 21 is formed between the main floor B of the car, and an elevated floor 22, which is constructed of inter-spaced boards or slats, and it is due to this construction that part of the air may settle downwardly through the load and also downwardly through the central passage 20. The load is in this instance represented by standard crates of cantaloupes, or the like. The load is preferably divided into two sections, such as indicated at 23 and 24, to form the central passage 20. This passage or space between the two sections of the load is maintained by placing two gates against the respective loads,vand holding them apartby means of 2 x 4 braces.

This is standard practice, and the gates and.

braces are not here disclosed.

Since the origin of refrigerator cars, a number of attempts have been made to 'supply adequate refrigeration to the top of the car, or to the top layers of the commodity in the car, but without material success up to the present time. Sufficient refrigeration to cool the storage compartment and the commodity stored therein down to a low temperature is available in the ice bunkers, and it is only necessary to conduct the warm air in the car which is originated from the Warm temperature of the commodity to the ice bunkers where it can be cooled quickly and readily. Heretofore, ordinary thermo'- siphon circulation has been depended upon. After a car using thermo-Siphon circulation had been loaded and iced, and had been standing'for three days, it was found that the temperature near the ceiling of the car was approximately 50 Fahr. The same car, after mechanical blowers were installed showed that the temperature dropped to 39' Fahr. within approximately 24 hours after the blowers were set in operation, thereby proving that continuous circulation of the air was exceedingly beneficial, as it brought about an even temperature throughout the storage compartment and a considerably lower temperature than was heretofore lobtained.

It might also be stated that heretofore, where thermosiphon circulation was depended upon, it was not possible to load the car more than four tiers high, as the temperature above that level was not suiliciently low to keep some commodities from spoiling. Thousands of dollars have been paid by carriers and car lines in the past to shippers using refrigerated cars, because of the inability of carriers to keep the temperature of the commodity in the upper layers of the storage compartments at a temperature low enough to guarantee their delivery at the market in good condition. Due to the frequent spoilage of the commodity, both carriers and shippers have agreed that certain commodities should not be loaded higher than the standard-loading methods now in effect to secure the best results in transporting fruits and vegetables across the country. Since the installation of the air circulation mechanism, here illus- `trated, it has been possible to increase a load by two additional tiers, suchas indicated by dotted lines at 25. This obviously has increased the carrying capacity approximately 50%, resulting in the carriers handling crops in a quicker space of time with the same equipment, which results in economy to shippers and carriers, aggregating millions of dollars per year. Not only this, but it reduces the number of refrigerator cars required, and to a large extent alleviates car shortage during the heavy seasons, therefore saving/a great loss to both producers, consumers and car- IlBI'S.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the bulk-heads are shown as constructed of tongue and groove lumber V and heavily insulated to prevent freezing o the crates placed adjacent to the bulk-heads. A modified form of bulk-head is shown in Fig. 4. This type of bulk-head is particularly applicable when new cars are being built, or old cars are re-built. This type of bulkhead is preferably constructed of steelthat is, the bulk-head is constructed of vertical, disposed channel iron columns, the inner side of the bulk-head or that facing the storage compartment is lined with planking or lumber, as indicated at 30,'and is heavily insulated. The opposite surface is also covered with insulated material, and with a heavy mesh, metal screen 31 to retain the ice out of contact therewith. Near the bottom of the bulk-head a continuous opening 32 is formed. 'Ihe air is drawn downwardly through the ice, and then inwardly through the opening 32, and then passes upwardly between the channel iron columns and through the same, that is, slots or openings are formed ,in the webs of the channels, so that the air may pass laterally through them to a common duct 33, which is connected with the blower. This type of bulk-head permits a free circulationv of air throughout the compartment in the same manner, as described in connection with Figs. l and 2, as the same types of blowers are employed and the air is directed and circuited in the same manner.

While I have shown the preferred form of myinvention, as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes might be made in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a refrigerator car having a storage compartment formed therein, a pair of ice bunkers disposed one at each end of the compartment; bulk-heads separating the bunkers from the storage compartment; said bulkheads having air ducts formed therein in communication with the bunkers at their lower ends; a pair of power driven blowers one at each end of the storage compartment; a suction pipe connecting each blower with the air ducts in the'adjacent bulk-heads to draw air through the bunkers and the ducts in the bulk-heads at the upper ends thereof, and av discharge pipe on each blower extending in opposite directions to discharge the air horizontally into the upper portion of the storage compartment for free Vcirculatory movement from end to end of said compartment.

2. In a refrigerator car having a storage compartment formed therein, a pair of ice bunkers disposed one at each end of the compartment; bulk-heads separating the bunkers from the storage compartment; said'v bulk-heads having air ducts formed therein in communication with the bunkers at their lower ends; a pair of power driven blowers one at each end of the storage compartment; a suction pipe connecting each blower with the upper ends of the air ducts in the adJacent bulk-heads, to draw air through the bunkers and the ducts in the bulk-heads, and

through the bunkers after passage through the storage compartment.

3. In a refrigerator car having a storag compartment formedtherein, a pair of ice bunkers disposed one at each end of the compartment; bulk-heads separating the bunkers from the storage compartment; foraminated partition members in the bunkers retaining the ice in thebunkers out of engagement with the bulk-heads and forming air passages between the ice and the bulk-heads; said bulkheads have air ducts formed therein, the lower ends of which communicate with the air passages in the bunkers; a pair of power driven air blowers one at each end of the storage compartment; a suction pipe connecting each blower with the upper ends of the air ducts in the adjacent bulk-heads, and a discharge pipe on each blower directing air into the upper portion ofy the storage compartment from opposite ends thereof. An elevated Hoor in the storage compartment constructed of inter-spaced slats and forming an air duct in the bottom of the storage campartment, said air duct communicating with inlet openings formed in the lower portion of bulk-heads and said bulk-heads also having air inlet openings formed at their upper ends.

4l In a refrigerator car having storage compartments formed therein, a pair of ice bunkers disposed one at each end thereof; a bulk-head separating each bunker from the storage compartment; said bulk-heads consisting of vertically disposed channel iron columns; a facing consisting of lumber secured to one side of the channel iron columns; insulating material interposed between said facing at the columns; a facing of insulating material on the opposite sides of the columns; a foraminated facing material exterior thereof, said last named insulating material having an opening formed near the lower end, extending substantially across the face of the bulk-head; an air discharging pipe connected with the upper end' of the bulk-head and said channel iron columns being slotted substantially throughout their length to form lateral, communicating passages through which the air passes to the `discharge pipe CHESTER A. RICHARDSON.

a discharge .pipe on each blower extending 

